Court Grants Omoyele Sowore N10 Million Bail In Cybercrime Case, Orders Passport Deposit

A Federal High Court in Abuja grants human rights activist and politician Omoyele Sowore N10 million bail in relation to alleged cybercrime charges filed by the Inspector General of Police (IGP). Justice Musa Liman delivers the ruling on Thursday, setting several conditions, including the deposit of Sowore’s international passport with the court.

Sowore faces a 16-count amended charge brought by IGP Kayode Egbetokun, which he pleads not guilty to. The charges stem from his social media statements, where he allegedly refers to the IGP as “the illegal IG of the Nigeria Police Force” and criticizes his leadership.

Sowore’s lawyer, Marshall Abubakar, files a motion on January 29, 2025, requesting bail on liberal terms, emphasizing that Sowore complies with police requests and was previously granted administrative bail. In response, the police oppose the bail, citing concerns about potential interference with the trial.

In his ruling, Justice Liman affirms the constitutional right to bail, stating that the police fail to provide evidence linking Sowore to any criminal activities or influence over potential witnesses. The judge highlights that the police’s concerns about Sowore’s ability to intimidate witnesses are unsubstantiated.

The court grants Sowore bail with the condition that he deposits his international passport and provides one responsible Nigerian surety with verifiable documents. The surety must submit an affidavit of means, proof of landed property ownership in the Federal Capital Territory (FCT), and a valid ID. The judge allows a 24-hour extension for Sowore’s legal team to fulfill the bail conditions, with the case adjourned to April 8, 2025.

Earlier, in 2024, the court dismisses treasonable felony charges against Sowore and fellow activist Olawale Bakare, following a decision by the Attorney General of the Federation to discontinue the case, which had been ongoing since 2019.